Even my toilet is awkward!

 Another typical me...

The toilet downstairs needed fixing as it hadn't been filling up or then flushing properly for a while. A neighbour mentioned that her daughter's boyfriend is a plumber so we arranged for him to come and take a look.

A part needed replacing (I forget the technical name for this, currently) and was it straightforward? No! The plumber, H, explained that usually you could replace this part within the back of the system, but, in my case, the back of the toilet needed draining and the toilet back taking off!

When this was done, it stillll wasn't working properly as the time spent (let's not quantify that) with it not working properly had caused a washer to need replacing too!

As it was a Sunday that he'd come round on, and he'd already been to a well-known shop to pick up the part that I have forgotten the name of, he couldn't get the washer and - timewise - it was getting on anyway.

In the meantime, the toilet was useable with a little leak on water and a funny noise every twenty minutes or so. Later that evening, H text and said that I could stop the noise overnight by pressing the grey 'button' at the top...

Well, I tried to do what he said, but it didn't work! The toilet then wouldn't stop trying to fill up with water!! Wedging something heavy on this item stopped the water and the noise, so that was fine.

When H returned to do the washer, as he had expected, it turned out the cistern was broken as the buttons were not going back up as they should have done - hence why it stop and had to be wedged down. I had text to explain this.

Therefore, he didn't fit the washer and we agreed for him to return another day with the new cistern part!

He later text and said that he'd ordered the part online (having earlier said it would be about £18) and that it was a 'rare part and hard to find' and therefore was £25! I laughed and just said that was typical me! I had partly expected this as I had realised myself that this part looked nothing like the one upstairs.

Anyway, it just goes to show that even sorting a toilet in my world is never simple!

Today, it's all fixed and working - yay!

Just my luck and, well...I won't be wearing those again! Plus, investigations are drawing a blank!

A series of posts!

Unbelievable - just my luck!

I am a day late posting this week as I didn't get a chance to prepare my post or to upload on time for a good reason... The 'man at the gate' - see previous posts - is back! Well, in the form of post through my door. I will tell the tale of that in the coming weeks as I am still waiting to hear back from someone in the chain now. Watch this space...

Well, I won't be wearing those again!

I noticed a small hole in the back of my jeans (skin tight ones) where it joins the pocket, so I sewed it up. The other day, when out with my Mum, I was wearing these jeans and I bent down to put on my boots - I always drive in trainers, and felt the hole reappear, only worse!

By the time I was in the supermarket, bending down to select things etc, the whole was getting worse and worse, with the material fraying! Thank goodness I had a long coat on otherwise it would have been a major issue!

Annoyingly, I didn't think to take a picture of the whole once home and jeans off. It was, however, absolutely HUGE and they have gone in the bin now! 

Investigations are drawing a blank...

Meanwhile, X and I have been back to the 'investigation site' and there's nothing to report. As it is a LONG story, I will save that for a slow news (chance would be a fine thing, lol) week and tell you it all from start to where we are at now and our plans to see if we can uncover anything!

An exciting announcement and more antics!

 Announcement: 

Since being accepted into the Castle Priory Press family, I've been busy editing my book and the news of my signing is now official!

Blog post:

Treadmill, trolley and trifle!

I decided that I wanted to get a new treadmill as I didn't like the one that I had and passed that to a friend instead. The handle bar thing made my arms hurt and I decided to go for one without. 

It arrived and it was lovely - white, and, just as I wanted there was no bar. However, this made trying to get on it an interesting experience. It took me a good five minutes with someone else having to go on it first to show me HOW in order for me to manage to copy what they did. Oh how we laughed!

I'm happy to report now that I am able to get on (and off) of it without assistance of supervision!

On the very same day, I took my Mum shopping in the afternoon to a nearby supermarket and, unfortunately the wheel of her trolley caught in a drain cover and tipped her trolley over. SOMEHOW, a glass bottle of olive oil survived, but a trifle burst through its cellophane and went all over the bag - and my coat as I was picking it all up for her.

As I had been walking with my trolley ahead of her, initially all I heard was the crash. I spun round quickly to check she wasn't injured and dashed over to her seeing her moving her knee out of the way and the trolley/contents on the floor.

After realising she was Ok, I suddenly went "My trolley!" I had literally abandoned it on the spot. Thankfully, despite a slight hill, it had come to a stop by a bollard in the car park less than a metre where I left it and NOT into a car - phew!

We had to see the funny side of it all as it was one of those situations. They managed to eat the trifle (well was was left in the pot) and I took her back last week to get another one that remained intact and had more custard as that was what had mainly leaked out.

Just to say...

 

 I'll be back on Tuesday 16th April with these posts:  

                                            * Treadmill, trolley and trifle!

In the meantime - HAPPY EASTER!

When the title...says too much!

 TV titles issue...

Here's another thoughts on TV  post!

Spoilers involved...

Recently, I have watched two shows where the titles gave away what was going to happen before even watching! What's the point of that?

The first: Too Good To Be True was just that and the second, Love Rat meant that I guessed - even though obvious - what was about to happen and then, by the end of episode 3, had a feeling that there was going to be a twist and make the title have two purposes - which it did. Not only was the woman fooled by the man that she though was wooing her, but her ex turned out to be a rat too.

With my own writing, I spend a long time thinking of a careful and suitable title. Yes, these seem to have done the opposite -  a quick 'does what is says on the tin' and that's that. I decided to avoid this week's offering Coma (despite having enjoyed these two shows at times for various reasons - casting choices, filming locations...adverts - aka not a whole hour of viewing - and other such reasons). Plus, I saw an advert for what happens that didn't just spell it out, it SHOWED it. So, what's the point?!

Thoughts...?

The investigation continues...

 Still searching for clues!

As the investigations are still ongoing at my friend X and I's spot of curiosity, there isn't a huge amount to update this week. Partly as it's been too muddy to take her white dog with us (you will see the relevance of this in a post another day) so I will leave this as an open mystery for now. Plus, she still has the photographic evidence of what we first found last week...now, potentially, backed up by further finds this week but this is tbc!

Meanwhile, it was NOT a good day for us with regards to the dogs of other people as EVERY dog that we walked by was not happy to see us and barked, a lot! Thankfully though, we didn't get eaten alive when two, rather larger, Rottweilers that had barked on our way down the lane - when safely behind their gate - were no longer behind a gate as their owner had opened them, about to get in her vehicle. Miraculously, the two dogs stood there, as we VERY carefully walked past.

Whilst, at the weekend, I had a future post (titled: treadmill, trolley and trifle) land in my lap with the events of the day so keep your eyes peeled for this.

When the TV tells the tale better...

The Marlow Murder Club - By Robert Thorogood

          

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the novel The Ex-Wife by Jess Ryder being adapted for TV and how I thought it had spoilt some of the elements of the book. Today, I am going to take the opposite view...

Last week, I watched The Marlow Murder Club when it aired last week and REALLY enjoyed it! Yes, it was still a bit slow, but overall I thought it was much better than the book. I have the book sitting at 50% on my Kindle and am not tempted to finish it even though I have watched the TV series.

I AM, however, hoping that the next two books get adapted for TV too. But, there's not one bit of me that intends to read these either!

So...it begs the question of why? How did the show grab me more than the book? 

Simple...the beautiful scenery just didn't come to life enough in the book for me - despite some ornate describing from Thorogood. Plus, the characters come across more effectively in seeing them on the screen.

Now, I probably should say that I am a HUGE Thorogood fan in terms of his Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise work. Never before had I read one of the few Death in Paradise books - mainly as they were pricier on Kindle than I wanted to pay. Then I saw The Marlow Murder Club and paid very little for it and found that I didn't like his writing style!

He, however, when working on the shows seems to manage to transform his characters, settings, mysteries and dialogues into something that I want to watch!

As I said, I still think that - at two, two hour shows, minus some ads - that The Marlow Murder Club was a little long. There was a LOT to fit in...SPOILERS...three murders, so I suppose it was better to be thorough (pun intended) than to scrimp...and, in usual Thorogood fashion, it was complicated. So, rushing may have lost key points and I know - from what I did read of the novel - it's already been streamlined for the TV adaptation.

One more thing...there was a similar plot (apparently) in a Death in Paradise episode...I read this whilst looking at some news articles. This, I will need to check...despite me having re-watched Death In Paradise episodes SEVERAL times! I thiiiiink I am looking for the one where the current Inspector - Ralf Little - appeared as a different character from what the article said.

It does make me think it a bit odd that a writer would recycle their own ideas in a different setting...but has given me something to research and check on! 

So, keep an eye out for these findings another day!